Inflatable ball



A. J. TURNER INFLATABLE BEL;

Filed March 19. 1927 April-24, 1928. Q

A. J. TURNER INFLATABLE BALL Filed March 19. 1927 2 Shanta-Sum 2 mam, fine/bald JTmgwr Patented Apr. 24, 1 928.

PATEu-romcs.

ARCHIBALD 'J. TURNER, oncHIc ed ILLiNoIs, nssisnonfrro. wrrson-wnsrnnn sroiarnve eoonsoo, or onIcAGo,.1LL1nq. S, ,A conronnrxon QEDELAWARE.

m infm BA L.

A'pplication filcdMarh19j1927. "Serial na My invention relates to inflatable balls,

being moreparticularly concerned with iniproveinents in the dispositionof laoing toi the entrance slits in such balls. I

In certain types of 'nflatable balls;notably basket balls, it is be nothing on the'cover its normal spherical surface,

proj ectin'g beyond which 'isfliable to be caught in a basket 'i'rameor the like, of'

or which may cause the directions hound the ball to become uncertainor 1r regular. The old types of projecting lacings heretofore used on basketballs, have materially affected the rebound of suchballs,

' and have frequently become caught in has ket frames or the like. Moreover, SUChPlW jecting lacings tend to tact with the floor. and other surfaces engaged by the ball in play, and interior or concealed lacings viate this difliculty.

'lVhile the interior or concealed type of lacing has inany'advantages, it is 'not"vis ible nor so readily accessible as the old type i and one of the objects of the present invention is the elimination of the toregoingdifiiculties by the provision of a visible and readily accessible lacing which is flush with the nori'nal spherical surface of the ball without altering the con tinuity of the leather or fabric on the outside of the casing adjacent said slit, Another object of my invention is the provision of a ball having anentrance slit and the lacing for the same together with' spacing means disposed within the casing adjacent said slit in such manner that the exte rior portions of the-lacing may ilnbed themselves in the exterior surface of the cover without injurv to the same while that part of the cover between said portions of lacing is maintained by said'spaoing nieans'in its normal spherical sl'iape.

Another object of my invention is the provision of spacing nieansof the class de scribed, which 's bui'lt up of a plurality of layers of flexible material so tha't'this meniberinay perform its function without materially stiffening that portion otth'e cover to which it is atiixed or deleteriously affecting the qualities of rebound in an way.

Qther objects and advantages of my in vention will appear more fully from the following description and from the accompanying drawings, in which similar e11aracters. at

essential that there become worn by con have been provided toobf tl' e seve1alviews. 1

Invthei'lrawings: v Figure leis a plan view of a basket ball embodying my'invention; i V

Figure 2 is an enlarged detailed view of that'portion of the cover adjacent the slit and'lacing; j

, Figure a view inperspective of the spacing means einployed'in my invention;

reference indicate similar parts throughout Fi ure 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line H of Figure 2;

Figureh is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on Figure 6 is an enlarged cross sectional View on thelin'e 66 of Figure 2, and

Figure'7 is an enlarged view in perspective and in disassembled relation of the spacing means shown "in Figure 3.

Referring t Figure 1; 10 indicates in its entirety an'infla'table ball which is provided the line5- -5 of Figure 2;

ments of the present invention are primarily intended to be applied to basket ballsfand other inflatable balls, it is contemplated that with a lacing "and entrance slit according to the present invention. While the unprovethe advantages may also be realize-din some measure in balls which are stufied or which have the r covers filled lout by some means other than an inflated bladder, and I desire it to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the use set tortlL p The ball10 may be constructed in the usual manner, as in the present instance of a plurality of pieces of leather of high quality, which are stitched together any convenient or'suitablemanner; A's'a general rule such a ball will have an entrance slit 11 centrally disposed upon one side'of the ball between two adjacent pieces'of leather 12 and 13. The slit 11 is conveniently formed by terminating the stitchingwhich joins the leather pieces'12 and 13 at the point 14,; one end of the'slit and at the point 14: the opposite end otthe slit; and in order that the adjacent edges of the leather pieces may abut smoothly against each other "along centrally located above each of trance slit shown may be employed with any ordinary style or type of lacing, I prefer to use the style of lacing which is fully described inmy copending application, Serial No; 112,421, liled'by nie May 29, 1926, now patent No. 1,621,043, granted March 15,1927, as this is a style of lacing which provides a plurality of parallel two ply exterior'laced portions indicated in the drawing at 15, and a plurality of one ply interior laced portions 16 and 17 crossing each other diagonally and maintaining the parallelism of the cx- 'terior two ply laced portions. When the ball is laced in this manlurr, the lacing has no tendency to ca ilse margins of l'heinsertion openings to creep relative to each other, and the portions of the lace which lie outside of the cover are parallel to each other and at right angles to the nnrrgins oi the bladder insertion opening. This type of lacing has particular advantages when used in connection with the present entrance slit construction, as will be further explained.

In order that theexterior portions 15 of the lacing may lie flush witlrthe normal spherical surface of the cover, and in order to accomplish this result without cutting away any part of the cover adjacent the entrance slit, I provide means whereby the exterior portions 15 of the lace may inibed themselves in the cover of the ball, is shown in Figure 4. The means by which this result is accomplished comprises a plurality of spacing members which permit the exterior lacing portions 15 to draw the cover downward to the point where these portions are located. flush with the'surtace of the ball, but which maintains the balance of the cover vbet-ween said lacing and elsewhere in its normalspherical shape.

A. convenient form of such spacing means is shown in Figures 3 and 7 in which 18 indicates a piece of leather ot'good quality having an edge 19 which is adapted to be aligned with the edge of one side of the slit 11 when the edges 20 are caught in with the regular seams of the ballbeginning at the points 14 and 15. The leather piece 21 comprises a substantially rectangular piece of leather of the relative thickness shown having a forward edge 22 which is adapted to be aligned with the edge 19 ot the slit ll. The edge 22 has a pluralityof cutouts 23 it regularly spaced intervals and located, so that when the leather pieces are in assenr bled relation with the ball and lacing, the exterior portions 1.5 of the lacing will be the cut-outs 23. The width of the'cut-outs 23 should be such that when the lacing is in the position shown in Figure 4-, the material removed H from these portions 1s sufliclent to provide ample space-for that portion of the cover and lining which is depressed into the cutouts as at and the depth of the cut-outs ee' /nee will be observed that as. the lastt-wo exterior portions of lacing may be located just beyond the leather piece 21. at ezichendQonly suflicient tongues 2 i are. n ovidedas :are necessary to lie between the; exterior lacing bortionsv v I The cover pieces 12: and ll ure each provided adjacent the slit 11 with a row of equally spaced apertures 26 and theiapcrtures 26 are preferably located directly opposite each other so that when the lacing is in place, the exterior portions 15 will extend exactly at right angles to the slit 11. The leather piece 18 is likewise provided with a row of apertures 28 which arev similarly spaced and adapted to be exactly aligned with the apertures 26 of the cover when these parts are in assembled relation.

The leather piece 29 comprises a piece of leather such as is ordinarily. employed in constructing the cover having a forward edge 30 which is likewise adapted to coiu- .cide with the edge of the slit 11, and having a plurality of cut-outs 23 of a shape and size exactly similar to those of the leather piece 21, thereby forming a plurality of similar tongues 27. In order to gradually decrease the thickness of the spacing member toward its-outer edge, the leather piece 29 may be beveled. oil at its exterior edge fronr the point 31 on one end aroundthe back side 32 to a point 33 on the opposite end of the slit. The leather piece 29, in addition to having a number of cut-outs 23 equal to that of the piece 21, has an extra cut-out 34 located at'each end. of the'slit and adapted to provide indentation space for the cover be low the outermost portions of lacing 15, and the projecting corners 31 and 33 of the piece 29 are adapted to support the cover be ond such outermost portions o'l. lacing to keep such part in normal. spherical shape. it should be noted that-vat the points 33 and 31, orthe points-l4- and 14; which are adjae thereto, the normally inwardly turned e I w, oil the pieccsIlfZ and 13 at the seam provide adequate means for holding this part of the cover upward in spite of the groove or indentation formed by the exterior lacing in the outer cover at this point. V

The leather piece 21 may be cemented upon the leather piece 18, with their edges 22 and 19 coinciding and the apertures centrally located in all of the cut-outs 23. The piece 29 may then be superimposed upon lUn thefpiece 21 in such manner thatthe forward edge 30 coincides with theedg'es 19 and 22,

and thecut-outs 23 of this piece coincide with thecu't-Outs of thepicce 21, and all of tllGSGPlGCGS having been lirmly cemented together, a single line of stitching may be madealon'g each set'of tongues 27 for the pu-rpose of securing all of these parts together and forming the spacing i-ineans shown in Figure 3. In order that there'may be no tendency to form bumps or angles at the rear si-de'of 'the'spacing means, the rear edge'36 of the leather piece 18, as well as each end 37 may also b'egiven a long bevel I so that-the thickness of'the spacing means gradually decreases toward its outer edge to a very small value. VVhilethe shape of the I rearward portions of these parts is not of great importance, it should preterably be such that the thickness of the member may rections, and a spacing member 38 may be fixedup'on each side of the slit 11 by cementing one of said spacing members to theli'n-r ing 39, each having the holes 28 in alignment with the holes 26 and the combined edge 40 of, the spacing member 38 aligned with the edge of the slit 11 on each side; The spacing member 38 may then be permanently attached to the cover of the ball by a. line of stitching 41 beginning in the outermost cut-outs 34 and extending diagonally therefrom to a point 42, thence along a curved line to a similar point at theoppositeend of the spacing membergthenc diagonally'ini ward toward the slit teri'i'iinating in the other cutout 34:.

' Stitching so made will pass through both the layers 18 and 29 and in the laver 21. In order that this stitching, which should preterably be made with extra heavy thread, In a not form any projection on the exterior'surface of the ball. I provide in my spacing member means for permitting a. slight deprcssion of the surface of the seam on the extenor of the ball. The leather p ece 29 is, therefore, preferably provided with a slot 43 extending from a point adjacent the point 33 along the line of the stitching described to a point adjacent the point 31, with the ex .ception of a plurality of supporting strips 4-4. The supporting strips 44 which hold these parts of the leather piece 29 together, may also be rounded out slightly to make room for the seam. It will thus be observed that when the stitching'll is made along the line described, firmly, drawing these parts of;

13, as well as.

the spacing member and, cover together, the

slot-43 will provide aspacewhereinthelin ing 39 and the cover piece drawn cover as a-t QGaand is flushwith the normal snhericalysurface of the ball.

llyf nakingthe spacing memberf38 of a plurality of'plies of flexible leather,I am'enabled to 'provide-s mcing means of the necessary thickness without appreciably alfecting the resilientqualities of the jball at or near the slit, and by ;providingmeans whereby the exterior portions of the lacing can draw tlI'GtOXQ If downward-into grooves to imbed 12 or llmay be s'otlrat the upperndge ot the stitching hes'm a slightdepression oi the themselves-flush with the surface, I am enabl'e'dg-to keep the lacing fiush with the sup face of I the ball without cutting away, parts 8 offthe cover or otlierwisc'destroying the continuity of'the leather pieces fornnngthe margins of; the slit. The balli'n-ay 4 protective fiapot leather {17 comprising a substantially F1ectangular piece of leather having 'its'outjer edges thinned asat 48 and be provided with" the usual i having one side secured to the cover by the same stitching 45 which secures the cover and spacing nember'"38{ For the purpose oi illustration, in Figures 4 to '6, the inward protrusionof. the lacing portions 16 and 17 is slightly exaggerated, but when the ball is filled and these 'partsare under pressure, the

flap 47 is adapted to substantially smooth out the irregularities caused'inside' of the cover by the lacing so as to protect the blad 'cl er therefrom. r

Since the cut-outs 34 in the spacing member are made at right angles to the slit and since theexterior portions 15 of the lacing should be solocated that they will be able to draw "the cover'and lining down into the cut-outspit is "of particular importance and advantageto use-the type of lacing shown in my prior application above mentioned, because "this-lacing is especially adapted to maintain the exterior portions of the lacing 15 at rightangles to the slit without causing the adjacent margins of the slit to creep or otherwise disturb the alignment of the aperends are preferably knotted together as indicated at 49, the knot being slipped down 'be tween the edges of the slit and disposed between the spacing member 38 and the flap 47.

have not illustrated a bladder in the accompanying drawing, because the present inve itenfi 'ii n rned' w th ny f he dew tails of bladder. The improvements of this invention may be applied to a ball of the type wherein a bladder is inflated after the closure of the insertion opening, or may be applied to a ball equipped with the old style bladder provided with a rubber inflation tube, which must be closed and tuckedbaek inside the cover after the inflation of the bladder has been 'e ii'ected. The, ball illustrated in Figure 1 is of the former type, having a bladder inflation stem opening and support carried by the rear side of the ball shown in this figure.

It will thus be observed that I have invented a ball having an entrance slit closed by lacing and so. constructed thatthelacing is adapted to lie flushwith the normal spherical surface of the ball, the lacing imbedding itself in a plurality of bends in the leather adjacent said entrance slit. It will also be observed that I have provided means for accomplishing this result without cutting away portions of the cover-adjacent said slit, or

otherwise destroying the continuity of the leather pieces forming this portion of the cover, and that the spacing members employed. are adapted to perform their function without materially stiffening the cover of the ball at this point as would be the case if rigid spacing members were employed.

While I have illustrated and described the specific embodiment of myinvention, many modifications maybe made Without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited tothe precise de tails of construction set forth, but desire to avail. myself of all changes within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as-new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A ball comprising an outer casing having an entrance slit, and a lacing for said slit disposed flush with the outer surface of said casing in grooves comprising bends in said casing. N

2. A ball comprising an outer casing having an entrance slit, a lacing for said slit, and means for permittingsaid lacing to draw said casing inward at each exterior portion of said lacing until said lacin is flush with the major surface of said casing.

3. A ball comprising an outer casing formed with an entrance slit, spacing means having a plurality of transverse= grooves therein, carried inside said slit, and a. lacing for said slit, said lacing being disposed flush with the outer surface of said ballin said transverse grooves.

A ball comprising an outer casing formed with an entrance slit, spacing means having a plurality :of transverse grooves therein disposed along the interior of said slit, saidspacing means comprising a plurali'ty of layers of flexible leather, and a lacing neaoes receiving parts of the cover, said spacing means being disposed alongthe interior of said slit and being gradually thinner toward.

its edges away fromv said slit,'and a lacing for said slit having its exterior portions drawn into said grooves flush With the normal spherical surface of the ball.

6. A ball comprising an outer casing having an entrance slit, a. lacing for said slit, and means for supporting the parts of the cover adjacent the exterior portions of said lacing in their normal spherical shape while permitting said lacing to imhed itself iii-the cover at said exterior portions.

7. A ball comprising an outer casing having an entrance slit, spacing means carried within said casing along said slit for supporting a lacing flush with the normal spherical surface of the ball, said spacing means having a plurality of transverse slots at right angles to said slit, and a lacing for said slit comprising a plurality .of double exterior portions imbedded in saidcover and at right angles to saidslit, and a plurality of diagonal portions inside said cover maintaining said exterior to said slit.

8. A ball cover comprising a casing having a slit, and means for closing said slit carried by said casing and disposed in grooves formed by bends in said casing.

9. Ina device of the class described a casing having an opening, and means for securing edges of said casing adjacent said openng, in abutting'relation, comprising securing means disposed in grooves formed b an outer casing portions at right angles bends in said casing and substantially below Y the normal contour of said casing.

10. In a closure, the combination of a'pair f abutting members having a plurality of points of engagement i backing having a plurality of grooves extending below said members and between said points of engagement, and securing means for drawing said members together and embedding itself in grooves formed by drawing said casing into the grooves o'fsaid backing. I

1]. A playing ball .closure comprising abutting edges of a leather casing, a leather backing member secured abutting edges, saidcasing having'rows of apertures for a lacing and said backing members having aligned slots underneath the casing between pairs of apertures, and a lacingsecuring said edges together and emfor securing-means, a

under each of said bedded in the outer surface of said casin 12. A playing ball closure comprising abutting edges of a leather casing, a leather backing member secured under each of said abutting edges, said casing having rowsof apertures for a lacing and said backing members having aligned slots underneath the casing between pairs of apertures, a support for said backing members comprising a pair of abutting pieces of leather formed with an outer edge tapering in thickness to eliminate abrupt changes in thickness of said casing, and a lacing securing said edges together and embedded in the outer surface of said casin 18. A playing ball closure abutting edges of a leather casing, a leather backing member secured under each otsaid abutting edges, said casing having rows of apertures for a lacing and said backing members having aligned slots underneath the casing between pairs of apertures, a support for said backing members comprising a pair of abutting pieces of leather formed with an outer edge tapering in thickness to eliminate abrupt changes in thickness or said casing,

a lacing securing said edges together and embedded in the outer surface of said casing,

and a protective flap of leather bridging the inside of abutting edges of said casing.

14. A playing 7 ball closure. comprising abutting edges or a leather casing, a. leather backing member secured under each of said abutting edges, said casing having rows of apertures for a lacing and said backing members having aligned slots, underneath the casing between pairs of apertures, a supcomprising port-for said backing memberscomprising a pair of abutt ng pieces of leather formed with an outer edge tapering in thickness to eliminate abrupt changes in thickness of I Y said casing, and'a lacing having pairs of lacing parts extending between pairs of opposite apertures outside said casing and parts of lacing crossed at intermediate points between the pairs of opposite apertures inside said casin I 15. In an inflatable ball aclosure slit formed by pieces of leather sewed together,

from each end of said slit, backing means for said slit comprising leather pieces along said slit inside said casing, said leather pieces having a thinned edge and slots removed beneath the seam line about saidclosure slit, a support for said backing comprising leather pieces sewed to said backing and stitching through said support and caspieces having a thinned edge and slots re-.

moved beneath the seam line about said closure slit, a support for said backing comprising leather pieces sewed to said backing and stitching through said support and easing about said closure,said support also having its edges caught in the stitching of said casing at each end of said slit.

Inwitness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 16th day of March, 1927. I

ARCHIBALD J. TURNER. 

